25/09/2024
Free Driving Lessons - Right here!! 1st in a series; today -
How to slow down, stop, and change gears.
The RSA's Driving Manual for Instructors, clearly states that changing down though each and every gear is an outdated practise and not necessary, and not required on the test, instead it states that you should slow down with the brakes and use whatever is the appropriate gear for the task in hand. (Click on the Pics )
If you are stopping, you can stop in any gear! Simply use the brakes to slow, and put the clutch down ( usually approx. 1 car length from stopping ) before the engine labours to keep the engine from stalling.
If you are slowing down for a roundabout for example, you use the brakes to slow down and change directly to the required gear to enter the roundabout (usually 2nd) changing perhaps from 5th gear to 2nd.
WHY ? The benefits of selective ( block ) gear changing i.e. going from 4-2, 5-2, 3-1 etc. are many.
Safety - Less gear changing means more time to focus on the road ahead, more time for decision making
Safety - Your hands are on the steering wheel for more time in case of an emergency.
Easier - It is easier to plan 1 gear change than 2,3, or 4!! Often learners will coast (keeping the clutch down) because they try to do too many gear changes in too short a distance, causing distraction and loss of control.
Green - Changing through the gears is environmentally unfriendly causing more pollution through wear and tear on the car and using more fuel. In some European countries you are not allowed to go down 1 at a time on the test, because it is not 'green'
Changing down though the gears was taught many years ago, when cars had only 3 or 4 gears! Older cars also had drum brakes all around which were not as efficient as Disc brakes which we have on modern cars ( 1980's on ) and so gears were used to help the brakes slow the vehicle.
As with everything else in driving there are exceptions to the rule and changing down through the gears can be used in certain circumstances i.e. slippery road conditions i.e. snow or ice, or where you may need to be repeatedly braking time after time in quick succession.
But in normal driving, going down the gears 1 at a time is simply a waste of time, potentially unsafe, and poor driving at best.
Remember it is the RSA's own book that recommends this.
Make sure you are being taught the best methods.
Next Lesson - How to pull away correctly. Coming soon
